Remote control of typewriters



J1me 1953 s. E. STALBECKER ETAL 2,644,034

REMOTE CONTROL OF TYPEWRITERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 10 1950INVENTORS STU/V5 fM/l/VUEL STALBfC/(ffi 3776 BEER/OLD T/BGL/ G ATTORN EYJ1me 1953 s. E. STALBECKER ET AL 2,644,034

REMOTE CONTROL OF TYPEWRITERS Filed Oct. 10 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 24INVENTORS 50 STU/PE EMA/V051 5774A BEG/r5? 677G EE/PTHOZD 77552 lA/GATTORNEY Patented June 30, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT 2,644,034 OFF ICEcorporation of New York Application October 10, 1950, Serial No. 189,374In Sweden October 19, 1949 16 Claims. (Cl. 17 8-48) The presentinvention has for its object to simplify remote-controlled typewritersin order thus to render them less expensive.

A feature which considerably differentiates between the arrangement inconsideration and previously known arrangements of the same type residesin the possibility of controlling, with the aid of a few fixedaudio-frequencies, the machine by means of which transmission iseffected, a copy being then obtained of the characters or the writingtransmitted, as well as the machine which receives the characters or thewriting in consideration. A further novelty is that the keyboard of themachine may be made in exactly the same disposition as that which is acharacteristic feature of the existing typewriters commerciallyavailable; thus it will be possible, according to the invention, to makeuse of types comprising all of the symbols or characters occurring inthe typewriters hitherto employed.

The remote control also comprises the dls= position of the text matter;thus the feeding of the paper and the lateral adjustment of the carriage may be synchronized. Consequently, letters, invoices and the likemay be transmitted and received, the arrangement of the text matterbeing undertaken entirely as desired. As a receiver, the machinefunctions entirely without attendance on account of an arrangement,which from the receiver side facilitates feeding of the paper into apredetermined position, the message being then obtained on a sheet ofquartosize, for example. In contradistinction to the facilitiesavailable in previously known arrangements, messages may thus beobtained on sheets of such sizes and dispositions as will permit them tobe incorporated into files to be treated as ordinary correspondence.

Further features of the invention will be obvious from the followingdescription of an arrangement according to the invention shown by way ofexample in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram partly in perspective showing how theletters are transmitted electrically from keys on the transmitter sideto the type lever actuating devices on the receiver side.

Fig. 2 is a side view of a vibrator, partly in section.

Fig. 3 is a side View, partly in section, of the electromagneticallycontrolled coordinate selector of the movement of the typelevers inwhich only one type lever is shown for clearness.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view of the stop members, two stop members beingshown in a position permitting one type lever to be actuated.

Fig. 5 is a schematic diagram showing the circuit of the arrangementaccording to Fig. 3, only the control member of a stop member beingshown for clearness.

Fig. 6 is a diagram of the circuit of a number of relays, each of whichcontrols a stop-bar in the arrangement according to Fig. 3.

Fig. 7 shows schematically a device for corn trolling the movements ofthe paper.

Fig. 8 is a schematic illustration of a platen and contact cooperatingwith the platen.

For the electric typewriter in accordance with the invention, a keyboardis preferably used which consists of 7 rows of keys with 7 keys in everyrow arranged so that 7 horizontal rows with 7 keys in every row will beobtained. The keys are thus arranged in a system of coordinates.

" Each key is adapted successively to connect two contacts to earth,said contacts being connected to the audio-frequency oscillator 49. Thelatter preferably comprises an oscillator-connected electronic tube andan amplifier tube connected to said first-mentioned tube, while beinalso connected to earth. Various audio-frequencies are preferablygenerated by means of a number of series-connected reactances in thegrid cir cult of the oscillator tube, a row of series-com nected R1-R7and a further row of series-connected reactances Eta-R14 being shown inFig. 9 in the present instance. A conductor is extended from everyreactance to the keyboard, the conductor from E1 being connected, forinstance, to the lower key contact of all keys in the first vertical rowof keys on the left, while R2 is connected to the lower key contact inthe second vertical row of keys, and so forth. A conductor extendingfrom R2 may be connected to the upper contact of all keys in the firsthorizontal row of keys, counted from below, while a corn ductorextending from R3 is connected to the upper contact of all keys in thesecond horizon= tal row of keys, and so forth. Hereby, the corn tacts ofall keys will be connected to the reactances having a varying frequency,the same combination of two frequencies not being found for any otherkey of the keyboard.

The cycle of operations of the novel arrange= ment is as follows:

When the key 2c is depressed, an oscillatory circuit a is first closedin the audimfrequency oscillator it, a low-frequency oscillation of adefinite frequency being thus obtained, which upon amplification isapplied to the magnet coils 3 (see Fig. 2) arranged in the apparatuslit. The magnetic field thus produced at the coils 3 brings a soft-ironarmature into oscillation in agreement with the frequency produced inthe apparatus 55. The armature i is rigidly connected with the rod 5,which also has a number of vibrating tongues 5 arranged thereon. The rod5 is secured to a plate 1, in a manner such as to be permitted tovibrate with the armature l, the tongues 6 being then also caused tovibrate. The tongues 6 are tuned to the various oscillatory circuits ofthe audio frequency generator 43, and consequently the tongue the tuningof which corresponds to the oscillation created by the magnetic fieldwill. by reason of the resonance be brought into a more powerfuloscillation than the others. To each tongue corresponds a contact 8.These contacts are so disposed relatively to the tongues that contactwill be obtained with the tongue which has been causedL to vibrate. Inthe apparatus lit the circuit in Fig. 5 is thus closed and, the core iiiof the coil now attracts the contact spring ii. The circuit is thusclosed. This circuit creates a more powerful magnetic field about thecoil of the core it, so that the armature it will be attracted towardthe core of the coil. The armature it is thus caused to actuate the barll (II in Fig. 4).

Immediately after the above-related cycle, an other oscillatory circuitb is closed. This circuit, which has a frequency of a value cliff rigfrom that of the circuit causes one of the rcmaining tongues tooscillate, another circuit 5B bein thus closed with a displacement ofthe bar or in consequence thereto.

The arrangement according to Fig. 3 comprises an antimagnetic mountingdevice it for a number of rods It displaceable in their longitudinaldirection. The bars ll, which are provided with apertures correspondingto the diameter of the rods l6, are disposed in two layers crossing eachother one above the other, as shown in Fig. 4. In the position of rest,the apertures or the bars I"! are located relatively to the rods it insuch manner that the latter cannot pass through the bars.

Located underneath the two layers of crossed bars ll is an iron platelilo which is connected to an armature is adapted to be displaced in thesolenoids l8 and 2!! against the action or" a spring 26. In the positionof rest, the lower portion. of the armature i9 is only located withinthe solenoid it and, when this solenoid is energized, the armature andthe plate connected thereto underneath the bars ['5 become magnetic soas to be capable of attracting the rods it. No movement of the armature19 will take place until one of the rods It has been attracted.

During the cycle of events above described the bars II and on. (Fig. 4)are actuated. The armature It will then have closed the circuit iii inFig. 5, the armature It being thus caused to attract the rod It. Thearmature Iii is insulated and functions as a contact in the circuitarmature IS, the latter being thus pulled into the magnetic field formedby the circuits i8 and 20. The rod it is connected to a wire 2| (Fig.3), which is enclosed by a flexible metal casin The wire 2| is connectedto the type lever 23. When the armature i9 is drawn into the fieldcreated by the circuits I8 and 2B, the rod 513 is entrained in themovement so as to pull the wire 2 I, in a manner such that the typelever 23 strikes against the platen 24. When the type lever 23- isstopped against the platen the armature l9 continues its movement, sothat the contact with the rod IE is interrupted. The circuit 28 is thusopened. The type lever is returned by means of the helical spring therod it being thus also returned into its initial position. On account ofits larger mass relatively to that of the rod 16 the armature I9 willalter its direction of movement immediately behind the rod 16, and willbe returned by the spring 25. The arrangement 2? will thus be actuated,so that the circuit 12 is opened for a moment. The bars II and or arereturned.

The other means, for instance for the feeding a contact is alsoestablished when the rod it hits A type carriage, for the turning of theplatr the shifting between small and capital characters, and so forth,are actuated in the manner above described, excepting that thecombinations of the oscillatory circuits are then arranged in suchmanner that only relays which each actuate their individual parallelbars in the arrangement IE will be energized. Thus the relays will onlyfunction as connectors for the circuits to be used. Fig. 6 illustratesthe connection for a number of relays. In shifting, for example, therelays iii and 61 will be actuated, the circuit being thus closed in themagnet coil 28 of a device for the raising of the carriage. The magnetcoil 28 is energized by means of current from the positive terminal bythe closure of a contact of the relay El, whereupon the cir cult iscompleted by the closure of a pair of contacts of the relay 6| to thecoil 23, the other end of which is grounded. An armature attracted bythe coil 28 is arranged in a conventional mechanism to raise thecarriage. When the carriage is raised, the relay current is consequentlyinterrupted. At the same time the carriage will be locked. in thisposition by means of a pawl connected to a wire similar to thoseemployed for the type levers. This wire is actuated by the device 55, aspreviously described, when shifting to the lower position is to takeplace. The arrangements for the turning of the platen and for thefeeding and the returning of the carriage in a lateral direction may bedevised so as to operate stepwise for each depression of a correspondingkey while also repeating their movements, until any suitable contrivanceis automatically actuated so as to interrupt the relay current for amoment. Such a contrivance is shown. in Fig. 7. The circuit of the coil29 may be closed by so-called tabulators, which in this case causes theadvancement or the returning of the carriage to cease, and may also beclosed by a device such as disclosed in Fig. 8. This device consists ofa contact spring 30, which is applied to the paper with a slightpressure, said paper being taken to consist of a long web of the widthof a letter paper. One edge of the paper has apertures punched thereinat certain intervals. To permit synchronisation with respect to theadjustment of the paper, the means for the turning of the platen arestarted. The turning movement continues, unti the paper has beenadvanced so far that one of said. apertures reaches the contact spring30, the circuit of the coil 29 being thus closed with an interruption ofthe relay current and the ceasing of the move ment in consequencethereto.

What we claim is:

1. In a remote control electr c typewriter, a :eyboard comprising aplurality of keys and corn tacts associated with each key and adapted tobe opened and closed by the movement of the respective key, electricalimpulse-generating and -transmitting means controlled by said contactsto transmit a characteristic pair of signal impulses when each key isdepressed, a series of mechanical selecting members, a second series ofmechanical selecting members crossing the selooting members of the firstseries in a system of coordinates, movable type-operating membersdisposed at the crossings of said selecting members, a power-generatingmember tending to move said type-operating members, the movement of allof said type-operating members being normally blocked by said selectingmembers, and electromagnetic adjusting members for moving of the en, f0

each of said selecting members, means for connecting the adjustingmembers with said impulse means, each pair of impulses actuating anadjusting member of one series and an adjusting member of the otherseries to free the type operating member that is disposed at thecrossing of the pair of selecting members moved by said actuatedadjusting members, the freed typeoperating member being moved by saidpowergenerating member.

2. An electric typewriter according to claim 1, in which saidpower-generating member comprises an electromagnet energized by a localsource of voltage and a displaceable magnetic armature and in which thetype-operating members comprise elongated pieces of magnetic materialarranged with one end thereof in the proximity of said armature so thatthey may be attracted by the armature, the selecting members beingarranged between said ends of the operating members and the armature insuch manner that the movement of each operating member by said armatureisblocked by a crossing pair of operating members except when a selectedpair of these selecting members have been adjusted by their associatedadjusting member.

3. An electric typewriter according to claim 2, in which the selectingmembers comprise two groups of bars and which are mutually parallelwithin each group while the bars of difierent groups are arranged atright angles and adjacent to each other, each individual bar in eachgroup being provided with a number of apertures corresponding to thenumber of bars in the opposed group, said apertures being formed andarranged in a manner such as to permit a predetermined operating memberto be attracted against the armature only after the adjustment of acorresponding bar in each group of bars.

4. An electrical typewriter according to claim 3, in which the bars aredisplaceable in their longitudinal direction.

5. An electric typewriter according to claim a, in which contactsassociated with and operable by said operating members are connected incircuit with and control said electrcmagnet of the power-generatingmember in the manner that movement of an operating member closes saidcontacts to energize said electromagnet to impart to the armature amovement together with the attracted operating member.

6. In a remote control electric typewriter, a keyboard comprising aplurality of keys and contacts associated with each key and adapted tobe opened and closed by the movement of the respective key, electricalimpulse-generating and -transmitting means controlled by said contactsto transmit a characteristic pair of signal impulses when each key isdepressed, a series of mechanical selecting members, a second series ofmechanical selecting members crossing the selecting members of the firstseries in a system of coordinates, movable type-operating membersdisposed at the crossings of said selecting members, a power-generatingmember tending to move said type-operating members, the movement or" allof said type-operating members being normally blocked by said selectingmembers, electromagnetic adjusting members for moving each of saidselecting members, means for connecting the adjusting members with saidimpulse means, each pair of impulses actuating an adjusting member ofone series and an adjusting member of the other series, a typewriterhaving type levers, and means connecting the operating members with thetype levers of the typewriter.

'7. An electrical typewriter according to claim 0, in which theconnection between the operating members and the type levers consists ofa wire enclosed in a flexible casing.

8. An electrical typewriter according to claim 6, in which thepower-generating means comprises an electromagnet and an armature and inwhich the operating members are magnetic members attracted by saidarmature.

9. An electrical typewriter according to claim 8, in which means isprovided for energizing said electromagnet to cause said armature tomove with the operating member.

10. An electrical typewriter according to claim 9, in which the inertiaof said armature is sufiicient to cause movement of the armature tocontinue after the operating member has been stopped by the type lever,the operating member being thereby released from the armature and beingbiased to return to its original position.

11. An electrical typewriter according to claim 10, in which the meansfor energizing said electromagnet is controlled by said operatingmembers to deenergize said electromagnet when said operating members arereleased and in which the armature is biased to return to its originalposition. i

12. An electrical typewriter according to claim 11, in which a holdingcircuit is provided for holding the adjusting members in actuatedposition.

13. An electrical typewriter according to claim 12, in which saidholding circuit comprises contacts operable by the said armature to opensaid contacts and deenergize said holding circuit upon return of thearmature to its original position.

14. An electrical typewriter according to claim 6, in which thetypewriter has a plurality of electromagnetic devices for operating acarriage and platen and in which means actuated by selected pairs ofadjusting members in one and the same series control the energizing ofsaid devices.

15. An electrical typewriter according to claim 6, in which thetypewriter has a plurality of electromagnetic devices for operating thecarriage and platen, at least certain of said devices operating in a.series of steps means for starting said devices whereupon they continueto operate and means for stopping said devices.

16. An electrical typewriter according to claim 15, in which the devicefor controlling turning of the platen comprises a conducting portion onthe platen, a contact adapted to engage said portion but being normallyheld away by the paper on the platen adapted to receive the type-Written. characters, said paper being provided with spaced aperturespermitting said contact to engage the conducting portion of the platenand in which a circuit including said contact and conducting portioncontrols the stopping of said device to stop the turning of the platenwhen an aperture in the paper reaches said contact.

s'roan EMANUEL sTALBEoKER. srro BERTI-IOLD TIBBLING.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 367,332 Baxter July 26, 1886 1,114,578 Bomstead Oct. 20, 19141,938,899 Gilman Dec. 12, 1933

